This viola was made as a collaborative project between Emma Hardy, Julian Pindar and William Bates at a British Violin Making Association event in the beautiful countryside at Westhope in Shropshire. 

The model is loosely based on a Joseph Filius Andrea Guarneri. We allowed ourselves creative freedom to respond to the wood and outline throughout the process. The result is a characterful instrument in both aesthetic and tone. We like to say that it was made in the spirit of Guarneri, rather than it being a copy of his.

Its shorter body and neck length make this the ideal size viola for musicians frequently switching between violin and viola, or those who find the scale length on larger violas challenging.